


of coffee and routines

by toppopie (rokuseru)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Light Angst, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 16:53:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7765756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rokuseru/pseuds/toppopie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not that Kim Jongin didn't like Do Kyungsoo, it's that he did.<br/>And it's not that Do Kyungsoo doesn't like Kim Jongin, because he does. He just likes someone else a lot more.<br/>Or a story in which Kyungsoo wonders why his new coworker, Jongin, never talks to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	of coffee and routines

**Author's Note:**

> based on this tweet thread: https://twitter.com/toppopie/status/756281142886539265
> 
> This is something I'll be writing casually, but I hope you'll enjoy it.

A black mug sits in the corner of the wooden desk, half drank and half forgotten. Layers of paper are neatly stacked at the left side of the cubicle, just sitting there and staring at Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo, however, does not want to stare back at it, already intimidated by its mere existence.  He scratches his eyes with the back of his hand. It’s already an hour after end of shift and he has yet to finish his work.

Sighing, he grabs the cold mug of coffee to head over to the pantry and make another batch. He’s gonna have to call Baekhyun and cancel their dinner plans. Again. Kyungsoo’s dear friend (who he does not want to kill occasionally, by the way), had been bugging him for weeks to meet up. How was it his fault that his boss wanted an event organized within two weeks? It was practically impossible, but he’s a slave to the corporate cog and whatever the higher ups want, no matter how unfeasible, must be done.

Aside from Kyungsoo, there’s a few people from the other department who are also still inside the gray walls of the office. Suho, head of the department, is happily chatting with Chanyeol, the annoying beanstalk. He passes by them on the way the pantry and lazily waves to the former but also blatantly ignoring the latter. Kyungsoo is way too tired for this.

The coffee they have in the office isn’t half bad, but Kyungsoo has already associated the bitter taste with working overtime and deadlines. He takes a sip. Ah, the flavor of frustration.

Despite his complaints, Kyungsoo actually _likes_ his job. A year ago, he was an entry-level copywriter, fresh out of college. He remembers how scared he was when back then, not having any clue on how to be an actual _adult_. He was living in a studio type apartment with only a luggage full of clothes and a squeaky bed to his name.  In retrospect, he’d come a long way from being a country boy to team leader of a corporate company. He’s gotten used to the city life, but he still misses his mom sometimes. She makes the best kimchi spaghetti.

Nostalgic thoughts are put to an end when he heard the pantry door slide open. He looks to the person responsible and finds himself staring at that new guy.

Soft eyes stare back at him owlishly. Before Kyungsoo can offer him coffee, the new guy sheepishly mutters something intelligible, takes a step back and storms off.

Kyungsoo feels like he should be surprised at him, but it’s happened so many times that it would be surprising if it didn’t happen. If he remembers correctly, the new guy’s name is Kim Jongin. He knows that because he has heard that name being uttered several times in the past few months.

 

“Jongin would like me to ask you if the report is ready.”

 

“So I came over here because Jongin has a question about that thing you wanted us to do.”

 

“Remember our new guy, Kim Jongin? Well he couldn’t understand something and…”

 

Questions like that usually came at least once a day for Kyungsoo. And it was always Suho or Chanyeol approaching him, never _actually_ Kim Jongin. At first, he thought that it was because Jongin, despite being well built and super attractive, was just shy, but two weeks have passed by and he’s noticed that it was possible for Jongin to approach other people using his own voice.

He’s quite friendly, even though he keeps to himself most of the time. Jongin never fails to smile at anyone who needs to talk to him, especially women. When he has a presentation, Jongin wears that confident smile on his lips and he wins everyone with his ideas and charisma.

Kyungsoo notices that Jongin looks at everyone but him during these presentations. One would usually feel bad when they’re the odd one out, but for Kyungsoo, your work speaks for yourself. He hardly cares about the attention. Still, in the back of his mind, he can’t quite paint out why in the world Jongin doesn’t like him.

He takes another sip of the cup of black coffee before going back to work and it leaves an extra bitter taste in his tongue.

• • • • •

Kyungsoo remembers when he used to set his alarm three hours before he had to leave the house for work. Before day even broke, while darkness still washed over the skies, Kyungsoo would already be up and awake, tying his shoes and plugging in his earphones. At half past five, he’d already be out of the house for a morning run.

After an hour, he’d already have returned home and gotten a shower. He’d take a dress shirt and slacks, and then wear them before he reads the news on his phone on one hand while holding a dark mug of coffee on the other. Of course, Kyungsoo always takes it black.

For the first few months, Kyungsoo had this routine. Eventually, the long nights in the office had taken a toll in his whole schedule. Sleeping only three hours per night wasn’t enough, so he had to give up running. Then he finds out that he could save valuable time if he forgoes breakfast and just go directly to the office after he cleans up.

Kyungsoo developed a new routine, where he spent an average of twelve hours a day working on proposals and plans. The remaining hours are dedicated to him getting enough sleep. It’s an unhealthily unbalanced cycle but Kyungsoo has bteen doing it for so long that it has become the new norm.

It’s eight o’clock, nine hours after he had clocked out of work last night, and here he sits again in his desk. It’s becoming his second home, really.

“Kyungsoo-ah,” an annoyingly familiar voice calls from behind him, and the next things he knows, there are two hands clasping tightly on his shoulders. “How are you this fine morning?” The hands massaged his shoulders, “still tense and not getting laid, I see.”

“Shut the fuck up, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo snarks. He doesn't ’ even need to turn around to know that it’s the walking stick up his ass. He shrugs his shoulders off, “and get off of me.”

Chanyeol ignores him and chooses to sit on the empty chair beside Kyungsoo. The latter is about to unlock his computer when Chanyeol starts talking again, “Listen, Soo. We’re going out for drinks later. You wanna come?”

 

“No.”

 

“Whaaaat,” Chanyeol whines, “C’mon, Suho, Chen and Sehun will be there. Even Jongin!”

 

“Jongin?” The name catches his attention, “the new guy?”

 

“Yes!” Chanyeol is very excited about this.

 

“No thanks.”

 

“Please!” He slumps, making a grab at Kyungsoo’s chair and almost violently shaking it. 

 

“Why are you so determined to get me to come?”

 

“Look, uh, maybe you can bring Baekhyun. With you. Actually you don’t have to come. But the thing is, Baekhyun--”

Kyungsoo scowls. He knows where this is going. Park Chanyeol had been eyeing Baekhyun ever since the latter visited to bring Kyungsoo lunch. It took Chanyeol five minutes before he started fumbling for words around his friend. That single experience was enough for Kyungsoo to tell Baekhyun _never_ to visit their office again.

“Shut up, Park. I’m not going.” (Neither is Baekhyun, he mutters under his breath)

Kyungsoo turns back to his computer, marking the end of the conversation. He hears an exasperated sigh from the tall man followed by the sound of footsteps.

He still has another report to finish, and his boss is expecting it before noon. He types away for the rest of the day.

• • • • •  


It’s the end of another night. Kyungsoo had managed to down in three full cups of coffee before noon and two cups after. Chanyeol hadn’t bothered to annoy him again, plus his boss praised the report he submitted for being “detailed and thorough.” All in all, it had been a good day.

He mentally gives himself a pat on the back and finally lets himself slump on his chair. He grabs the phone sitting on his desk, beside the small cactus that Baekhyun had given him as a gift after he was promoted.

“To give life to your cubicle,” Baekhyun reasons, smiling widely when he handed the plant life. Kyungsoo didn’t really know how to take care of… well, anything. More so things that are actually _alive._ Maybe that’s why Baekhyun had given him a very low maintenance pet. He has to admit, though, that it gives his work space a little variety. Aside from the file holders, a small calendar and the coaster where he keeps his mug, there isn’t anything interesting about it at all. It screams plain and boring. Like him.

 

“Just take it, Kyungie. So you’ll have something to remind you of me while you work yourself to death. See, I put it in a cute pink pot.”

 

Kyungsoo scowled, but took it from Baekhyun anyway.

 

“You like it already.”

He didn’t. But Baekhyun was so happy to bestow upon him the prickly thing that he accepted it.

 

Speak of the devil.

Kyungsoo has ten messages on his phone, two from his mom asking if he’s doing okay and when he’ll visit again and the remaining are from Baekhyun.

 

_Kyungiieeeee_

 

_When are we having dinner??_

 

_Don't skip out on me again._

 

_I don't even remember what your face looks like anymore_

 

_Actually I do, because it never changes kekekeke_

 

_I’m kidding Kyungie. Pls respond_

 

_I miss you._

 

Sighing, Kyungsoo puts down his phone. He's too tired for this.

From where he sits, it’s strangely quiet. He doesn’t hear the loud boom of Chanyeol’s voice or Chen’s screeches.

He looks around the office, raising his head because unlike some giants, he’s not blessed by tall genes. 

There’s… no one left.  The watch on his wrist tell him it’s already fifteen minutes past nine. Twelve hours had gone by and he didn’t even notice. Did he even eat today?

A low grumble vibrates from his stomach, answering his own question for him. He remembers he left a pack of pudding he got for free from the convenience store when he bought a pre-packed dinner last night.

 _Pudding for dinner_ , _huh._ Even when he was in college, he didn’t eat this badly.

At least he can eat his sad pudding in solitude. Except he opens the pantry door to find another soul still in the building.

Kim Jongin. Greasy fingers. Eyes wide. Mouth full. With a bucket of chicken. 

 

“Umm…” Kyungsoo was thinking about leaving him due to the sheer awkwardness of it all, but Kim Jongin started to cough loudly and spew pieces of chicken from his mouth.

 

“Are you alright?!” Kyungsoo rushes to his side, patting his back, which for some reason, made Jongin cough even more violently.

 

“W-water,” Jongin manages to croak out in between coughs.

 

Kyungsoo mutters a curse and swiftly goes to the dispenser to get him the glass of water. He feels like he should be proud that he has managed to save a life, even though he was probably the _reason_ why said life was endangered in the first place.

 

“-m okay now…” Jongin groans out, panting heavily. It’s weird, but his breathing sounds heavy and Kyungsoo’s eyes drop to his plump lips, dripping wet from water. 

Those lips look really full... 

 

It’s a second too late when he realizes he’s staring.  


It’s two seconds too late when he realizes that Jongin is staring _back._

 

Kyungsoo coughs and the sound is enough to snap them both out of their daze.

“Soo, umm… wanna have some chicken?”

• • • • •

Kyungsoo doesn’t know why, but he finds himself opposite Jongin in a KFC two blocks from their office just thirty minutes after he saved (and caused) Jongin choking from a chicken.

He supposes that it was partly out of hunger (his stomach tells him he hasn’t eaten all day), and partly because this is his first “night out” in weeks.  And maybe it’s all because Jongin asked him out for dinner while looking like a kicked puppy who’s near tears.

All in all, he’s quite glad that he agreed. The busy restaurant and waft of fried chicken are a nice change from the gray walls and motivational posters of the office. There’s something about seeing the shy Jongin, who’s usually timid, light up as the chicken is served at their table.

 

“You, um, really like chicken, huh?”

 

“Huh?” Jongin looks up from his plate, gulping the chicken down, “Um yeah. It’s… always been comfort food for me, I guess.”

 

“You eat a lot.” He looks at the three bones on Jongin’s plate.

 

“Haha,” he nervously laughs, “We just didn’t have a lot of money growing up, and we rarely ate any meat. Chicken was always served during special occasions.”

 

“Oh,” Suddenly, he feels embarrassed for pointing it out.

 

Jongin smiles softly, “It’s okay. We’re good now. That was a rough patch in our life. There was a huge fire that ruined half of our town and it didn’t leave us with a lot…”

 

“Fire? Did you live in Daegu area?” Kyungsoo remembers the fire that devoured his hometown just before he entered middle school. It was horrible, a dozen houses were burned to a crisp in the middle of the day. Luckily, most of the people were either at work or in school. The source of the fire was found to be from bad electric wiring.

 

Jongin nods at him, “Did you go to Daegu Elementary?”

 

Like chocolate to a warm touch, the awkwardness melts from between them. Kyungsoo learns that both he and Jongin came from the same elementary school, with Jongin only a year younger.

 

It surprises Kyungsoo that the night has passed by quickly, food finished and forgotten and laughter easily falling from his lips. They bond over their shared taste in music and hometown stories. He likes the way Jongin’s lips move, all plump and careful, except when he’s too amused. His eyes form concave moons and he forgets to cover his mouth as he bursts from laughter. This Jongin is completely different from the one in the office. Without the neckties and slacks, he’s more relaxed and charming. His sleeves are rolled up, showing his beautifully tanned skin and thin forearms. His hair, mussed and buttons already open.

Kyungsoo hasn’t had this much fun since…

“Why weren’t you with Chanyeol and the others today?” Kyungsoo breaks the silence.

Jongin’s eyebrows raise like a surprised puppy, his face flushes red, “Um, I wanted to stay at the office.”

 

“Did you stay at work because of me?” Kyungsoo doesn’t know why he thought of that. It’s a long shot, and definitely ballsy, but that’s what sleep deprivation does to him.

 

Jongin swallows his lips, staring intently at the wall before he whispers, “Yes.”

 

“Oh.” Kyungsoo doesn’t know what to do with the information, but the air feels heavy again. He thinks back to the times Jongin shies away from him or refuses to speak to him and this newfound knowledge explains so much about his avoidance.

 

It’s not that Jongin didn’t like Kyungsoo, it’s that he did.

 

_Oh._

 

He’s about to say something-- or _anything_ \-- to break the awkwardness when his phone lights up to  tell him that  he has a text from Baekhyun.

 

His eyes barely read the _“Kyungie please call me,”_ but he becomes alarmed when he notices that it half past twelve and the last train to his house has already left.

 

“My apartment is just three blocks away.”

• • • • •

Less than twenty four hours ago, Kyungsoo hasn’t uttered ten words to Jongin yet now, he finds himself in the latter’s apartment. He’s sitting on Jongin’s couch, nursing a beer with his right hand. In the background, he hears the sound of water hitting shower tiles, where Jongin is washing up in the bathroom.

Jongin lives in a small but comfortable apartment. The living room has a small couch for two, one television and a PS4. There aren’t a lot of things on the white wall except for two flower paintings that looks like his mom picked out for him.

Maybe it’s the alcohol or maybe because it’s 1am, but he feels like his body is on fire. He leans his head back on the couch and drifts to the thoughts of Jongin’s parted lips when he drank from a water bottle and when Kyungsoo caught a glimpse of the skin on his back, revealing the curve of his spine when he undressed for the shower. 

It’s probably been months since he’s gotten laid and it was with some guy he met at a bar. The sex was messy and quick, both of them being drunk of their asses. All Kyungsoo remembers is how he emptied the contents of his stomach on the guy’s ivory toilet the next morning. Safe to say, they didn’t see each other again afterwards. 

One night stands were never really his thing. There’s a small voice inside his head screaming that he shouldn’t do what he wants to do. It will get messy and sleeping with your coworker is never a good idea. Best case scenario is that they both understand that Kyungsoo was just slightly intoxicated and in need of a lay. The worst, and most possible scenario, is that they sleep with each other, Chanyeol and the others find out, and he’ll have to change departments because he’ll probably end up killing Chanyeol on top of being awkward around Jongin. 

Kyungsoo knows he should be listening to that small voice in his head, but the blood rushing to his groin is making a compelling argument: Jongin likes him, and he thinks Jongin is hot. He hasn’t had sex in _months._  

He shouldn’t even be palming himself over his slacks but he needs some stimulation and it doesn’t seem like Jongin is getting out of the shower soon.

 

God, he’s a fucking pervert.

 

He tips his head back and closes his eyes. His hand travels downwards, to the growing bulge in his pants. He kneads his palms over the cloth, slightly adding pressure. If only Jongin’s mouth were around him…

 

He releases a breathy moan, closing his eyes as he focuses on the sensation.

 

“Aah, Jongin…” he groans, hips forward and legs spread a little wider.

 

“Kyungsoo hyung?” The voice sears through his high, blood quickly running cold.

 

He jolts his eyes open, seeing a newly-showered Jongin standing in front of him, brown hair pushed back, beads of water still dripping, and his eyes cast a lustful stare. He’s wearing a white shirt and shorts that reveal how long and slender his legs are.

 

He didn’t hear him leave the bathroom, and Kyungsoo knows he probably should be embarrassed for getting caught teasing himself but Jongin doesn’t seem like he minds. Slightly intoxicated or not, Kyungsoo knows that Jongin is fixated on his crotch.

 

Kyungsoo, feeling braver, stands up and moves forward to Jongin until he’s backed up against the wall.

 

The younger is breathing a little heavier, with his eyes fixed on Kyungsoo’s lips.

 

“Can I kiss you?”

 

“Fuck ye-” Jongin takes the words out of his mouth in a heated kiss. Kyungsoo was right, the lips are as soft as they looked.

 

He’s opening his mouth to deepen the kiss, inhaling Jongin’s soapy scent and ragged breaths. He feels large hands travel from the curve of his hips to his ass, squeezing the mounds of flesh.

 

“H-hyung…” Jongin whispers, the two pair of lips gliding over each other smoothly, feeling Kyungsoo’s hands around his neck pull him closer.

 

Jongin tries to take it slow, but Kyungsoo is _desperate._ He’s practically humping Jongin as he pushes their bodies together.

 

Kyungsoo bites Jongin’s lower lip, earning a husky moan from the latter.

 

He’s about to trail kisses from Jongin’s neck when he hears a loud and familiar ringtone coming from his pocket.

 

“Shit.” He pulls his fingers away from Jongin’s hair and takes a step back, a whimper being uttered by the younger.

 

“Ignore it…”

 

But the sound is blaring. He _rarely_ calls.

 

“I have to take this.”

 

Jongin just stares, pursing his lips at Kyungsoo’s words.

 

“Baekhyun?”

 

“ _Kyungie_ ,” he hears the boy sniff from the other line, “ _I need you_.”

 

Kyungsoo looks at his watch, “I’ll be there in an hour.”

 

He hangs the phone up and looks at Jongin who’s visibly disappointed, “Sorry, I have to go.”

 

“To where? There aren't any buses or trains this time of the night.”

 

“I’ll take a cab. It’s just on the other side of town anyway,” Kyungsoo looks at him apologetically, but he’s already grabbing his bag from the table.

 

“That’s a little dangerous. Are you sure--”

 

“Yeah. Look, I’m really sorry. But someone needs me.”

 

Jongin sighs, evidently frustrated, “Okay. It’s okay. Let me call a cab  for you.”

 

It takes less than an hour before Kyungsoo arrives at Baekhyun’s door. The latter immediately greets Kyungsoo on the first knock.

 

“Soo!” He stumbles back as Baekhyun pushes his weight on him with a crushing hug.

 

“It’s okay, I’m here.” He mutters softly, kissing the top of his head.

 

And just like that, he’s back to the start.

• • • • •

**Chapter 1 End.**

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I really like writing in Kyungsoo's voice. 
> 
> Comments are appreciated. Let me know if I've made any mistakes. ;u;


End file.
